Religious Revision: UNIT 2

Why Christians believe in life after death

• Believe that after death their body stays in the ground and the soul goes to God for judgement.
• Those that have been good will go to Heaven.
• The souls of sinners will go to Hell.
• Catholics believe in purgatory and that the body will be ressurected - idea that souls live on after death is known as IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL.

PROTESTANT EVIDENCE

• Jesus told a thief on the cross that he would be in heaven one day.
• The Church teaches that all Christians, dead and alive, belong to the Church.
• Some Christians believe that the paranormal (i.e. ghosts and mediums) is evidence of the afterlife

EVANGELICAL EVIDENCE

• Jesus' body was raised from the dead.
• The creed (St. Paul) "I believe in the ressurection of the body and everlasting life"

ROMAN CATHOLIC EVIDENCE

• Ressurection of Jesus
• Teaching of the New Testament e.g. The Book of Revelation
• Teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

SOME PROTESTANTS believe that there is no Hell.

THE EFFECT ON CHRISTIAN LIVES

• "We should try to live within the guidelines of the Bible and the Church because we will be judged by God"
• Heaven offers comfort when our loved ones die
• We must try to live a good life and treat others as we would like to be treated
• The afterlife shows that we should try to repent and to forgive
• We can cope with suffering when we know Heaven awaits us

HOW MIGHT CHRISTIANS RESPOND IN THEIR LIVES?

• CONFESSION- repent for their sins
• PRAYER - praying more regularly and commuincate more frequently with God.
• DOING GOOD WORK - because they know God is watching them, they will try to live life how he wants them to by helping others.
• CHRISTIAN TEACHINGS - they will follow God's commandments and the example of Jesus through "treat others how you would like to be treated"
• VOCATION - dedicate their lives to God through jobs such as a nurse/doctor or helping others priest/minister/nun/monk.

Akhirah = life after death (MUSLIMS)

THEY BELIVE THAT...

• The authority of the Qur'an.  The Qur'an states that we came from Allah and that we must return to Allah.
• Surah II and 56 teach that those who live a good life will go to al'Jannah and that Allah is powerful but also merciful.
• The teaching and practice of the Prophet (the Sumnah)

JUDGEMENT

• The Qur'an and Shari'ah law teach that Muslims will be judged by Allah and their actions will determine their afterlife.
  
• Islam teaches that the good will be rewarded and the bad will be punished.
• The Qur'an teaches that God's judgement is final.

EFFECT ON THE LIFE OF A MUSLIM

• All Muslims try to follow the teachings of the Qur'an and Shari'ah law
  
• Follow the example of the Prophet Muhammed and try to be a good Muslim
• Act the way Allah wishes

NON-RELIGIOUS REASONS FOR BELIEF IN AN AFTERLIFE

NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES

• Reported by patients pronounced dead for a short time.
• Describe leaving their bodies and seeing themselves outside of their body.
• Reported seeing dead relatives/a bright light.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

• Refers to unexplained events that have a spiritual cause.
• Ghosts are thought to be spirits of the dead - can be a physical presence or a numinous feeling.
• Mediums claim to be able to contact the dead.

REINCARNATION

• The belief that a person's soul is reborn into another body or form after death.
• An idea believed by Sikhs and Hindus but also by non-religious people because of memories from the past.

OTHER REASONS WHY

• The idea of death is difficult to deal with.
• Belief in an afterlife seems fairer
• Sometimes people feel their loved ones who have died are still with them.
• That those who led a good life should be rewarded and those who have not should be punished.

EVIDENCE

• There is no evidence if an afterlife - no one has ever returned to prove it exists,.
• Mediums and others who will try to prove there is an afterlife are tricking people.

SCIENCE

• Science expalins EVERYTHING in our world and we should not believe in things that are unscientific.

HUMANS ARE MORTAL

• When a person dies their body decays so how can there be anything else?
• Life after death is impossible - we live and then we die.

An abortion is the removal of a foetus from the womb before it can survive.

WHEN DOES LIFE BEGIN?

• At fertilisation - when the egg and sperm meet?
• When the fertilised egg is implanted into the womb?
• When the foetus is developing in the womb?
• When the foetus is capable of living independantly of the mother?
• At birth?
• At some other point?

THE UK ABORTION LAWS:

- 1967 Abortion Act

• Abortions must be agreed by two doctors.

ABORTION IS ALLOWED UP TO 24 WEEKS IF:

• There is any mental or physical risk to the mother.
• The existing children would suffer or be at risk.
• The child born would be severly disabled.

ABORTION IS ALLOWED AFTER 24 WEEKS IF:

• There is risk to the mother's life.
• The baby will be severly deformed.
• There would be riso of serious physical or mental injury to the mother.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST ABORTION (PRO-LIFE)

• Life begins at conception.
• An embryo has the potential to be a human and should have the RIGHT TO LIFE.
• Even disabled children have the right to life.
  
• Adoption is an alternative
• SANCTITY OF LIFE = ONLY GOD GIVES AND TAKES AWAY LIFE

ARGUMENTS FOR ABORTION (PRO-CHOICE)

• Women should have the right to choose what happens to their body.
• In cases of ****, abortion should be allowed.
• It is KINDER to allow abortion if the child will be severly disabled.

Christians may hold different views on abortion, although most will not support abortion because of the "sanctity of life"

SANCTITY OF LIFE ARGUMENT

• This is the belief that life is scared and belongs to God.
  

"So God created man in his own image" - Genesis 1:27

"Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit..." - Corinthians 6:19

"You shall not commit murder" - Exodus 20:13

ARGUMENTS AGAINST ABORTION

(Catholics and Evangelical Protestants)

• Abortion is viewed as murder.
  
• Life is a sacred gift from God.
• God has a plan for every human being.
• All life has value even if a child may be born disabled.
  
• Life begins at conception.
  

ARGUMENTS FOR ABORTION

• Jesus taught about compassion towards others.
• We cannot be sure life starts at conception
• In cases of **** or incest, it is the kindest action.
• Medical technology allows us to see if a child has any severe disablities.
• Abortion is the best choice if the mother's life is at risk.

SANCTITY OF LIFE = Life for Muslims is sacred and a gift from God. Abortion takes away a life and is therefore wrong.

ENSOULMENT = Life begins when the soul has entered the foetus at 120 days.

"Whoever has spared the life for a soul, it is as though he has spared the life of all people.  Whosoever has killed a soul, it is as though he had killed all of mankind" - Qur'an 5:32

WHEN IS ABORTION ALLOWED?

• The health of the mother may be at risk - the foetus would not exist if it was not for the mother.
• The mother's life is established and she has responsiblities to carry out.

DIFFERENT MUSLIM VIEWS ON ABORTION...

• Some allow abortion in the first 6 weeks.
• Believe they should choose what happens to their body.
• An unplanned pregnacy is not a reason for abortion.
• Allowed if the pregnancy is a result of adultery
• Mother's life is in danger.
• Allowed in cases of **** or incest.